Does this jewellery shop advert shock you?

Spicer Green Jewellers in North Carolina has astonished locals with a poster advert reading: "Sometimes, it's OK to throw rocks at girls." The poster features a number of gem stones, and the jeweller has said it was meant to be a fun play on words, but not everyone is convinced it's 'fun'.

See also: Clampdown on misleading 'charity bag' collectors

See also: John Cleese advert banned for slamming bankers

See also: Charity shop window sign sparks sexism row

On Twitter, the reaction was swift and, in many cases, damning. One user wrote: "Hey Spicer Green, it's never cool to make light of domestic abuse or violence." Another added: "Is this supposed to be humorous because you think violence against women is funny?" Chelsea Clinton even added her view that: "Talking about hitting girls is never funny. Ever."

The jewellers responded with an apology, saying: "Please accept our apologies. We do not condone violence of any kind toward any being. We are humble enough to realise when we make a mistake." It added that it was "deeply saddened that it offended anyone." It also said that it would take the poster down.

There were, however, those who saw the controversy, and spoke out in support of the advert, calling it "cute" and "adorable nostalgia".

Violent controversy

It's not the first time a company has been in trouble for making light of violence against women. In June last year, Fox apologised for an X-Men Apocalypse poster, featuring Jennifer Lawrence being choked by Oscar Isaac - after commentators spoke out about the morality of using violence against women to advertise a film.

During Halloween 2015, Poundland removed a poster of a black silhouette of a man holding a knife in both lands, leaning over a cowering woman, after knife crime campaigners accused it of glorifying knife crime. The chain apologised for any offence caused.

Perhaps most controversially, it was reported last year that the Punch and Judy show on Barry Island in South Wales was banned by the town council for trivialising domestic violence.

But what do you think? Are these posters and shows offensive? Let us know in the comments.

1 / 5

We begin with breakfast. Or in this case, Post Grape-Nuts. And because this clearly delighted woman has been sticking to her delicious low-fat cereal, she CAN buy the floral summer dress, while the poor, overweight frump in the background looks on with envy and disapproval.

Of course, this sort of advertising still continues in the 21st century, except it's rather more sophisticated these days. Slim and pretty women always sell more clothes than plain or dumpy ones.